Frank m



(No Model.)

P. M. WATERS. LAWN MOWER-GLUTGH.

No. 477,030. Patented June 14, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

FRANK M. IVATERS, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGN OR TO THE FARMERS FRIEND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

LAWN-MOWER CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 477,030, dated June 14, 1892.

Application filed January 2, 1892. Serial No. 416,780. (No model.)

T in whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK M. WATERs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lawn-Mower Clutches, of Wh'lOll the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in clutches, the peculiarities of which will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

My invention is especially adapted for use with lawn-mowers, and I have so preferred to illustrate it. It is also applicable to other constructions, however, as will be evident to those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

mower, the ground-wheel being broken away to show the pinion and clutch connection; Fig. 3, a vertical section on the line w {E of Fig. 2, showing the reel-shaft and a portion of the reel mounted thereon; and Fig. 4, a detail perspective View of the clutching-coil of wire.

The letters A A designate the side plates of a lawnmower connected by a cross-bar B.

On a stud C, carried by each side plate, is mounted a corresponding ground-wheel D, se-

cured by the usual nut and washer, as indi cated in Fig. 1.

Internal teeth are formed on one or both ground-wheels, adapted to mesh with the teeth of a pinion E, loosely mounted on a reel-shaft F, to which are secured the reel and blades, as indicated in Fig. 3.

So far the device is of the ordinary construction.

My improvements consist in forming a hub or extension 6, on which is wound spirally a coil of wire G, preferably resilient, one end 9 of which coil is turned over the end of the sleeve or hub e and engages with said reelshaft by means of a slot or recess f, into which said turned-over end extends, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The other end h of the coil is frictionally engaged with the said hub 6, but

is otherwise free.

The direction in which the coil is wound is in the direction the reelshaft is to rotate. When the ground-wheel and pinion are rotated in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 2, the friction of the end It on the hub of the pinion will tighten the coil upon said hub and transmit the motion to the reel-shaft through the end g and the slot f. All the operative parts will thus be firmly clutched together and the pinion E rotate the reel-shaft as though fixed thereon. On a reverse motion of the ground-wheel and pinion the friction of the end It on the hub 6 will only tend to open the coil, and thus cause it to immediately loose its grip upon the pinion, which will revolve loosely on the reelshaft. It will be observed that by the simple slot in the reel-shaft the turned-over end of the coil is fixedly engaged with the reel-shaft, yet effects an instantaneous clutching and unclutching of the pinion therewith, according to the direction of rotation of the ground wheel,- also, the location of the spring-coil upon the hub of the pinion aifordsaleverage on the reel-shaft and lessens the liability to slip, which might occur if the coil were wound directly on the shaft itself. In other words, the friction of the clutching-coil is exerted over a greater surface as well as a larger diameter, as exemplified in the preferred construction shown in the drawings.

I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein shown.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, with a ground-wheel, a reel-shaft, and a pinion on the shaft meshing with the said ground-wheel, of a resilient coil wound upon a part of the pinion and fixedly connected with the reel-shaft.

2. The combination, with a lawnmower, ground-wheel, and'reel-shaft, and a pinion loosely mounted on said shaft and meshing with the ground-wheel and having a sleeve, of a resilient coil wound upon said sleeve of the pinion and fixedly engaged at one end with the reel-shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses FRANK M. WATERS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE I-I. W001), WALTER S. EHRHART. 

